I Can Upgrade My Talent Infinitely

Chapter 371: Chapter 292: Tier 3 Spiritual Ore (2)

"Why isn’t Elder Yu here yet? Could something have happened on the way?"

Outside the Earth Yellow Ore Mine, a middle-aged man gazed into the distance and muttered to himself.

His surname was Zhao, and his given name was Weiwen. He was the most powerful Elder of the Spirit Ore Institute, one of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s four peaks, three halls, and two institutes.

The Spirit Field Institute managed Spirit Field resources, while the Spirit Ore Institute was responsible for all Spiritual Ore resources.

Unlike the elders of the Spirit Field Institute, who rarely left the Celestial Cloud Sect, the elders of the Spirit Ore Institute spent most of their time away.

Zhao Weiwen thought about the recent situation and, lost in thought, shook his head.

’It shouldn’t be possible. This place isn’t far from the sect. Demons almost never come here these days.’

It would be very dangerous for a Demon to appear here; reinforcements from their Celestial Cloud Sect would arrive quickly.

A short while later, Zhao Weiwen’s worries were finally eased when Yu Chuanze landed.

"Elder Yu, I was worried something might have happened to you on the way."

"My apologies, Elder Zhao. When you sent the message, I had a few things to take care of, so I’m a bit late."

"As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. Right now, the Spirit Vein under the Earth Yellow Ore Mine needs to be adjusted. The central area requires nourishment from denser Spiritual Qi."

"Is a Third-Tier Lower-Grade Earth Yellow Stone about to form?"

"Soon," Zhao Weiwen nodded.

This was a Second-Tier Upper-Grade Earth Yellow Ore Mine. If it could nurture a Third-Tier Lower-Grade Earth Yellow Stone, the mine itself would be upgraded to a Third-Tier Lower-Grade Earth Yellow Ore Mine.

Spiritual Ore mines can be broadly divided into two categories: non-renewable and renewable.

The former are numerous, while the latter are rare.

The conditions for forming a renewable Spiritual Ore mine are extremely harsh. These types of mines always have an accompanying Spirit Vein to provide renewable energy.

The Celestial Cloud Sect had many Earth Yellow Ore Mines, but this was the only renewable one of its kind.

With proper cultivation and moderate mining, the grade of a renewable Spiritual Ore mine can even be raised, just like this Earth Yellow Ore Mine.

The greatest strength of a Spirit Ore Master lay in cultivating renewable Spiritual Ore mines.

Upgrading the grade of a Spiritual Ore mine is much more effective with the cooperation of a Spirit Vein Master.

Currently, the Celestial Cloud Sect had four Foundation Establishment Elders who were Spirit Ore Masters, but only one Spirit Vein Master: Yu Chuanze.

"Elder Yu, the Third-Tier Lower-Grade Earth Yellow Stone will be born here. Please see how the Spirit Vein can be best adjusted."

Inside the Earth Yellow Ore Mine, Zhao Weiwen led Yu Chuanze to the core area.

Under Zhao Weiwen’s cultivation, the embryonic form of the Third-Tier Lower-Grade Earth Yellow Stone had already taken shape. Adjusting the Spirit Vein would accelerate the stone’s formation, thereby upgrading the grade of the Earth Yellow Ore Mine.

"Alright, I’ll take a close look."

"Then I won’t disturb you."

With that, Zhao Weiwen left.

Every trade has its master. He was an expert in matters concerning Spiritual Ores, but when it came to Earth Veins—even the most common Spirit Veins—he was not very knowledgeable.

He stood waiting outside. As time passed, he felt a shift in the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Sensing this change, Zhao Weiwen knew that Elder Yu had begun adjusting the Spirit Vein.

At a time like this, Yu Chuanze absolutely could not be disturbed.

Night had fallen.

Zhao Weiwen told the disciples on duty for the Spirit Ore Institute to rest, while he himself began to patrol the surrounding area.

This was a rather critical period, and many things required his personal attention.

"Who’s there?"

Zhao Weiwen’s reaction was swift.

Sensing an anomaly, his Spiritual Power erupted in an instant. A golden spear formed in his hand and shot out toward the southeast.

A figure was revealed by his golden spear.

It was a Demon!

’A Demon dares to show up here now.’

’And this Demon really knows how to pick its moment.’

’Could it have heard some news?’

Zhao Weiwen didn’t overthink it. Dealing with the Demon was the priority.

Elder Yu was currently adjusting the Spirit Vein, so the Spirit Array laid over the Earth Yellow Ore Mine couldn’t be activated normally. Forcing the array open now would not only greatly diminish its power, but more importantly, it might damage the very mine he was cultivating.

"Not a bad reaction time."

The Demon had a slender body and slightly vertical pupils. One look was enough to tell that it had most likely transplanted the bloodline of a Snake-type Demon Beast.

This was a Peak Foundation Establishment Demon!

This should be a Demon from the Celestial Demon Sect, but Zhao Weiwen had no detailed information about him in his memory.

Like a giant snake hunting its prey, the Demon pounced at him.

A massive boulder immediately rose to block the path between them.

Zhao Weiwen, who possessed Gold and Earth Dual Spirit Roots, was more skilled with techniques than with Spiritual Artifacts.

His great talent for learning techniques was one of the reasons he became a Spirit Ore Master. While a Spirit Ore Master doesn’t need to learn many techniques, they must master the ones they do know.

This was different from Spirit Plant Masters, whose techniques were often numerous and varied.

Facing a Peak Foundation Establishment Demon, Zhao Weiwen blocked its attack while simultaneously sending out a message as quickly as he could.

"Trying to send a message?"

BOOM! The massive boulder shattered. The Peak Foundation Establishment Demon burst through, moving with even more astonishing speed.

"Too late," Zhao Weiwen said with a deliberate smile.

’The message was already sent?’

The Peak Foundation Establishment Demon found it incredible. The speed at which this Late-stage Foundation Establishment Spirit Refiner sent his message was just too fast.

"No!" The Peak Foundation Establishment Demon quickly realized. "You didn’t send the message back to the Celestial Cloud Sect."

Zhao Weiwen didn’t respond, focusing all his energy on defending against the Peak Foundation Establishment Demon’s assault.

Just now, he indeed hadn’t sent a message to the sect, because there wasn’t enough time.

He knew he had limited time, so he sent the message to the disciples at the Earth Yellow Ore Mine instead.

While fending off the Peak Foundation Establishment Demon’s attack, Zhao Weiwen suddenly noticed something.

This Peak Foundation Establishment Demon from the Celestial Demon Sect seemed to be trying to imitate their very own Elder Fang Yun.

For a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, this Demon’s offensive methods were average, but its stealth techniques were excellent.

He had only been able to detect the anomaly moments ago thanks to his Spirit Gazing Technique at the Perfection Realm.

After learning the Spirit Gazing Technique, one’s sensitivity to all kinds of energies increased. If he hadn’t detected that tiny fluctuation of Demon Power just now, he really wouldn’t have discovered this Peak Foundation Establishment Demon.

The two hadn’t been fighting for long when the Peak Foundation Establishment Demon retreated from the Earth Yellow Ore Mine.

Since Zhao Weiwen had been entirely on the defensive, there was little he could do about the Peak Foundation Establishment Demon’s departure.

If he had the ability, he would have definitely tied down the Peak Foundation Establishment Demon and waited for cultivators from the sect to arrive as reinforcements.

After all, this place wasn’t far from the Celestial Cloud Sect, and reinforcements would arrive swiftly.

Obviously, the Peak Foundation Establishment Demon understood this as well, which was why it left after only a brief fight.

’Is it really gone?’

More vigilant than ever, Zhao Weiwen scanned his surroundings with even greater care.

「Meanwhile.」

The Peak Foundation Establishment Demon hadn’t gone far. After stopping, it concealed itself once again.

Lin Shefeng.

That was the name of the Peak Foundation Establishment Demon.

He was one of the elders of the Celestial Demon Sect. A cultivator of Demon Power, he had transplanted the bloodline of the Hidden Snake, a Demon Beast.

Among all the elders of the Celestial Demon Sect, his stealth techniques were the strongest.

Similar to the thought that had occurred to Zhao Weiwen, Lin Shefeng did indeed want to imitate the actions of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s Fang Yun.

However, his first choice of target was not one of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s affiliated Foundation Establishment Influences, but one of the sect’s own Spiritual Ore resource sites.

He felt that succeeding here would deal a greater blow to the Celestial Cloud Sect.

An affiliated Foundation Establishment Influence, despite the close relationship, was ultimately still an external party. The death of a Foundation Establishment cultivator there was not the same as the death of one from within the sect.

’I’ll lie in wait here first and act again later.’

Possessing the bloodline of the Hidden Snake, Lin Shefeng’s concealment was extremely effective when he was completely still, a stark contrast to when he was moving.

’If I lie in wait long enough, the Spirit Refiners of the Celestial Cloud Sect will almost certainly never expect me to attack this place again...’

Lin Shefeng thought to himself as he waited silently.

The Hidden Snake’s bloodline also granted him immense patience—one of the benefits that came from the Demon Beast’s blood.

But the Demon Beast bloodline also came with many drawbacks. For example, he was also affected to some extent by the things the Hidden Snake feared.